


Belle of the Ball

by vix_spes



Category: Persuasion - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Fluff, New Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 10:59:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13246803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: The former Elizabeth Elliot is determined to be belle of the ball at Almack's on New Year's Day but alas, it's not to be.





	Belle of the Ball

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pers/gifts).



> This is a sequel to my fic [Reunion](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11335770)

Staring up at marble arches turned golden from the light of the gas lamps, Lady Elizabeth Carmichael did her best to suppress her excitement to acceptable levels. She was here. Almack’s, _the_ place to be seen in the eyes of society, and Elizabeth had finally made it. Admittedly, it wasn’t how she had wanted to come – having been granted a season ticket by one of the patronesses – but she was here, even if it was via a Strangers Ticket. The minute that she had been granted permission, Elizabeth had gone to the couturiers and had several new dresses made, intending to choose which one she would wear closer to the time. Turning to look at Lady Edith Walsh, she allowed herself to indulge in a self-satisfied smile as they walked up the stairs, their husbands trailing behind them.

As they moved through the entrance and into the main building, Elizabeth became aware of the whispers that seemed to follow her movements and she tossed her head and preened, believing them to be compliments. Of course, there was always the alternative that she had imagined; that she would arrive at Almack’s and become the belle of the ball, talked about and adulated by everyone. And what better day to become the toast of London society than on New Year’s Day?

Alas for Elizabeth, it wasn’t to be.

It didn’t matter what she did, Elizabeth’s dance card remained unfilled – at least by the calibre of dance partners that she wanted - and, despite her very best attempts, the Lady Patronesses wouldn’t give her the time of day. In fact, the three that she truly wanted to impress the most - Countess Esterházy, Countess Lieven and Countess Cowper – seemed to be positively ignoring her. Elizabeth simply couldn’t understand it. What was even more incomprehensible was the small knot of ladies at one end of the ballroom that included the three patronesses that Elizabeth idolised the most, especially considering that it was well-known that Countess Esterházy and Countess Lieven couldn’t stand each other. It hadn’t gone unnoticed by the other attendees either and many them were glancing in that direction and whispering behind their fans.

With Lady Edith at her side, Elizabeth edged further up the ballroom until she was as close as she possibly could be. As well as the three countesses – all of them dressed in elegant versions of the latest fashion and adorned with tasteful jewels – there were four other women in the party, although Elizabeth couldn’t get a clear view of any of them. She moved from side to side and craned her neck as much as she could, gaining herself some strange looks in the process. She only subsided when Lady Edith shot her a somewhat irate sideways glance, despite her frustration at not knowing which women had been granted the attention that she so craved.

And then, finally, the crowds shifted, and Elizabeth finally caught sight of the quartet that had, in her opinion, being monopolising arguably the most influential of the lady patronesses. Elizabeth’s gasp was audible but, luckily for her, the general hubbub rose and, so it went unnoticed except by Lady Edith. The four women that were being lauded by the great and the good of London society were all individuals that Elizabeth had turned her nose up at; Lady Pellew, Lady Fitzwilliam, Mrs Croft and … to Elizabeth’s horror, one Mrs Wentworth.

Elizabeth fought the urge to stomp her foot in frustration. She’d been foiled again and, yet again, it had been by Anne.

~*~

Anne couldn’t help but breath an almost inaudible sigh of relief as Frederick materialised out of the crowds to take his place at her side from where he had been spending time in the card room with the rest of the gentlemen. Whilst she was becoming far more familiar with her place in society as the wife of a celebrated Commodore, Anne was still less than comfortable with being scrutinised by the general populace. The one thing that Anne was inordinately grateful for was that she had a group of strong, sensible women around her, all of whom had eased her transition into society immensely. Anne was no stranger to society, having been brought up as the daughter of landed gentry but there was a rather large gap between the society of Bath and Somerset to that of London. And that was even before the Lady Patronesses had taken an interest in her.

As she had been since Anne and Frederick had announced their marriage, her sister-in-law Sophy had been Anne’s rock. Not only had Sophy helped Anne to navigate the trials of life on board ship for a woman, she had helped her to negotiate London society as best as she was able. Things had gone much smoother when Lady Susan Pellew and later Lady Anne Fitzwilliam had befriended them.

While Frederick was in near-constant meetings with the Admiralty, Anne and Sophy found themselves ushered around London by the two women, attending all sorts of society events. To Anne’s intense relief, neither women was of the same vapid nature as her sisters Mary and Elizabeth; they were in society because it was required of them, not because they enjoyed it and Anne found herself party to a whole host of interesting conversations. She became even more grateful for their presence when she came across Elizabeth again in a crowded ballroom in Mayfair. Elizabeth may be married but she had not changed in essentials and, whilst she may disapprove of both Anne’s husband and Anne herself, she would happily use Anne if it got her what she wanted. Anne had been inundated with calling cards from her sister requesting a meeting but, with her marriage, Anne had found her inner strength and all of them had gone unnoticed.

Spending New Years in London had hardly been Anne’s plan but then she had been invited to the Almack’s Annual Ball by Countess Esterházy and, considering who the woman was not to mention the rumours that she would soon become a princess, you did not refuse her invitations. Frederick had insisted on spoiling Anne with a new dress for the event and, while Anne was not much of a clotheshorse, she had fallen in love with the beautiful rose-coloured sarcenet gown and matching slippers that he had ordered, especially when accessorised with the pearls that he had gifted her for their wedding day.

Anne laughed breathlessly as Frederick took her into his arms and swept her around the dancefloor in the newly fashionable – and still slightly scandalous – waltz that Countess Lieven had introduced to London society. In her opinion, while spending New Year in Lyme walking the Cobb with her husband may have been Anne’s ideal, waltzing in Frederick’s arms was an incredibly close second. Especially when he waltzed them out of the ballroom and onto the terrace to steal a kiss in a secluded corner.

“Look at you, little one. Almack’s belle of the ball. And mine.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on DW, you can do so [here](https://vix-spes.dreamwidth.org/291367.html)
> 
> If you would like to boost the post on Tumblr, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.tumblr.com/post/169236733900/belle-of-the-ball-vixspes-persuasion-jane)


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